How To Fix Old Faded Headlights

[yukon25008.1]

picked up an 88 f250 from a freind as a beater truck..my s10 wouldnt pass inspection and wasnt worth fixing..anyhow the headlights look like crap, and rather than waisting money on new ones id like to just clean them up a litle. i remember reading somewere a while back how to fix em up..

[GMstrong]

Just clean em up with some 80 or 120 grit sandpaper and polishing compound then just throw some night shade on em

[randas]

Just clean em up with some 80 or 120 grit sandpaper and polishing compound then just throw some night shade on em

 

I wouldn't touch them with less than 1500 grit

[HawkScot]

there are headlight buffing kits out there that make them look like new (or so the advertising says). Most auto parts stores sell them.

[cghbuilder86]

DO NOT use an 80 or 100 grit. Thats too rough to even smooth wood out. 220 is the standard for wood finishing. Plastic and finish you always need something finer. Abralon is a good product for fine finishing. If you use paper I would say maybe start with a 2,000 or 1,500.

[HawkScot]

Headlight restoration kit from Walmart for $20

[LeoS41280]

Has anyone here used the headlight restoration kits?

[RyanbabZ71]

http://www.autogeek.net/lenshowto.html

[GMstrong]

i used 120 grit on mine came out fine it depends how hard you work it..i can take a pic for anyone who wants to see em.mine came out like almost a chromish the i threw night shade.

[700 sportsman]

I would highly reccomend the 3m kit. We use the commercial kit at work almost daily and it works great 98% or the time. It involves sanding with 500, 800 dry and then 1000 and 3000 grit wet. Then with a buffing wheel (we use air tools, but the drill as suggested in the kit will work too) there is a cleaner which gets 99% of the hazing and small scratches out and then the polish gives them a bit of added shine.

 

You can go on youtube or 3m's site and check out their videos as well.

[matsrat]

x2 on the 3m headlight kit. works awesome..... got it for 20 bucks from my Matco dealer.

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Anything lower than 600, would be a joke. 120 or 80 is just absurd.

[Nytemare]

i used 120 grit on mine came out fine it depends how hard you work it..i can take a pic for anyone who wants to see em.mine came out like almost a chromish the i threw night shade.

You have night shade on your head lights???? Why the hell would you do that???

Most people want to get more light on the front, why would you decrease the amount of light your putting out.

 

 

Never heard of anyone using nightshade on headlights sorry.

[GMstrong]

Wow you must be a old timer huh?how about a glasspack?

[Nytemare]

Wow you must be a old timer huh?how about a glasspack?

Nope...just have common sense...why the hell would you black out your headlights. Tails and corners sure, or even headlights using one of those stupid pattern things with the circles, but pretty sure blacking out your headlights are a touch on the Illegal side...like you will get a ticket and have to replace your lights...and you will need to have the vehicle towed home....maybe thats just here though, in Jersey maybe not.

 

Here you'll get ticketed if you forget to remove those dumb plastic headlight covers after dusk. They were planning on banning nightshades on your tails and corner lights.